Re: Use of the long "a" in pronouncing the article

On Sun, 30 Apr 2006 12:33:24 GMT, Peter T. Daniels wrote:

Joseph W. Murphy wrote:

On Sun, 30 Apr 2006 00:20:25 GMT, Peter T. Daniels wrote:

Joseph W. Murphy wrote:

On Sat, 29 Apr 2006 21:15:46 GMT, Alan wrote:

"Joseph W. Murphy" wrote
I was listening to Bush speak (or rather read) a statement a few minutes
ago. He pronounced the English indefinite article "a" as long and not
like
"uh" which is how it's always done here.

It sounds kind of stilted when Bush pronounces it that way. And it
certainly doesn't sound Texan.

Is there anyplace in the U.S. where the indefinite article is ordinarily
pronounced long?

I've noticed that it's often pronounced that way by kids learning to read.

Right. I have too. And I've heard some people do it for emphasis or
contrast. But it always seemed stilted to me even when used that way.

Would you rather do a stressed shwa for emphasis? Would you analogously
do ['Vn] rather than ['&n] for a stressed "an"?

Hmmm, let's see ... "This is A book!" "No, this is a book!"

I like the stressed schwa better. It must be the Hoosier in me.

"He stole A, not THE book." [In "... A book, not THE ...," ['@] is
better.]
"I said you could have AN apple, not THREE apples." [['@n"] is never
possible.]

You're right. I'd do it that way.

P.S. I'm reading Franz Boas' Introduction to Handbook of American Indian
Languages. Good stuff! Amazingly on the money for 1911.

Joe Murphy
Boy Linguist
.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Be and Have in Arabic, English and German
    ... Peter T. Daniels wrote in message ... >>> Peter T. Daniels ... >> behind the vast expanse of the southern oceans the sun is getting ... The sun will therefore morn and even at a similar speed and time ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Be and Have in Arabic, English and German
    ... Peter T. Daniels wrote in message ... Your analysis is akin to claiming that ... >> And the beest of all is to nake around on the beach in the slowly evening sun. ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Female Dative in German
    ... >> Peter T. Daniels wrote: ... >>> sun is a man and the moon a woman? ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Female Dative in German
    ... > Peter T. Daniels wrote: ... >> How could you possibly talk to a French-speaker, ... >> sun is a man and the moon a woman? ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Heroes: Will the writers be evil?
    ... Peter either (infact i'm annoyed that i don't know how the actor ... pronounces his last name *g*) ...
    (rec.arts.sf.tv)